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by fandomramblings



Series: Season 3 Malex [5]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Communication, Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, Happy Ending, Kissing, M/M, Reunion Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27082417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomramblings/pseuds/fandomramblings
Summary: With the dedicated help of my new two favorite characters to write, Isobel Evans and Liz Ortecho, Michael and Alex finally find their way back to each other.
Relationships: Alex Manes & Liz Ortecho, Isabel Evans & Liz Ortecho, Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Series: Season 3 Malex [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838704
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





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**Author's Note:**

> The final part of my 5 part Malex season three fic series is finally here! It took me a while to get here because I went from sitting around the house doing nothing for a year in a post-graduation haze to my first full-time job in a blink of an eye so finding time and energy to write has been... difficult.

Forrest Long was feeling guilty. He had just one hour left in his drive back to Roswell and even though he hated New Mexico highways, where there was so little in every direction you felt like you weren’t even moving at all, he was not looking forward to the drive being over for once. The first thing he felt guilty about was lying to Alex. He had made up some story about visiting a relative to go to a job interview in Albuquerque. Something about him telling Alex he might be leaving when he didn’t even know himself yet seemed silly. He had figured that depending on how the interview went he could tell Alex about it after. If things went terribly. There was no reason to ever bring it up. 

This led to the second thing Forrest felt guilty about. He had not expected to be hired on the spot. Most interviews ended with a polite promise to contact him soon, and even a rejection email was a rare occurrence. When the interviewer had told Forrest he would see him in two weeks he had barely registered it at first. But an hour into his drive home he received an email with instructions to set up insurance and a sick leave agreement. And that was that. So Forrest was also feeling guilty about his decision to end it with Alex when he got back to Roswell, rip off the bandaid as it were, and then head to Albuquerque early. He had rationalized that he needed time to set up an apartment, but really he was not too keen on hanging around Roswell post break-up where he was sure to run into the guy everywhere. 

He was just turning onto West 2nd Street, feeling like a golf ball was lodged in his throat, when his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number and normally he wouldn’t have picked up, but he was desperate for a distraction.

“Hello,” he said making the turn to head to the Long farm. 

“Forrest?”

It was a woman’s voice on the other side of the phone.

“Yes. Um… Who am I speaking with?” he asked, trying his best to sound polite.

“This is Isobel Evans.” the voice said. “We met briefly at the Crashdown, remember?”

Forrest did. He told her so, wary of where this was going.

“Great. Um, so I’ll have to make this quick.” Isobel said, getting right down to business.

“Have you talked to Alex yet? He mentioned you’d be back in Roswell by today.”

“I’m just pulling up at home actually, it’s been a long drive,” Forrest said carefully. What the hell was going on here?! 

“Good. Um, I don’t mean to rush you but if you could talk to Alex sooner rather than later that would be great,” she said, talking quickly.

“Is something wrong Isobel?” Forrest asked. This was getting stranger by the second.

“Well, you see my brother…” Isobel began before cutting herself short. 

Forrest stiffened at that. Of course, this was about Michael. He had been suspecting something like this would come up. It was one of the few reasons he was glad he planned to break up with Alex. Things had never really felt long term with them and part of him wanted to go out on his terms.

“Your brother is about to do something reckless and me talking to Alex today has something to do with stopping him?” Forrest guessed.   
The line was silent for a few moments. 

“Alex mentioned you were perceptive,” Isobel said and Forrest could hear a hint of a smile in her voice. “It’s not really my place to say more, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t too much in the dark about things.”

“I’ll head over there soon, but I need to have a word with my uncle about something first,” he said, rolling past the outer fence and heading toward the house, the wheels of his Subaru kicking up dust behind him.

“Thanks so much, Forrest,” Isobel said and it sounded sincere enough. “Sorry about all this.”

“No need to be,” Forrest replied, though he was all of a sudden feeling like the golf ball had morphed into a tennis one. “I knew what I was getting myself into.”

He hung up at that, parked sloppily, grabbed his duffle bag out of the back seat, and headed up the front porch steps. As he walked down the hallway, he thought about him and Alex, and who would beat whom to the actual dumping part. He hoped to god it would be him, but something in the back of his mind knew he would be disappointed.

***

Michael Guerin was feeling certain. He needed to leave. And it needed to be today. 

He had just finished throwing the final pair of socks into his duffle bag when his phone rang. He cursed the stupid thing, longing for the days when he was only reachable when he wanted to be. It was Isobel calling, again. Michael considered not picking up. Since their talks last week he had been waiting in dread for his sister’s next move. Alex was already going to dump Forrest because of her, and Michael could not be in town when that happened. He didn’t know what reckless thing he would end up doing, but he knew it would not end well. It was best if he wasn’t within a hundred miles of a newly single Alex Manes.

“What is it now Iz? I wanted to get on the road this afternoon.” He said once he picked up the phone.

He heard a classic Isobel Evans sniff of disapproval on the other end. Then her voice rang out. Michael was surprised to hear a hint of desperation in it. She really did care, he thought.

“I can’t keep doing this with you, Michael! I know you think you’ll mess everything up again if you see Alex after things go down with Forrest. But your wrong Michael. Liz and I…”

“Enough about Ortecho!” he interrupted. “She doesn’t know anything. Just cause we worked on a few science projects together and my brother saw her naked doesn’t mean…”

It was Isobel’s turn to interrupt. “She understands more than you think Michael. You know she and Alex are close, and I told you about how they talked. I’m begging you, just stay put and wait.”

Michael thought unbidden of a curly-haired youth wrapped in a tattered sweatshirt, sitting on a fence in the middle of the desert and staring up at the stars. Waiting around for something that would never come. He shook his head to clear it. No. Never Again.

“I’ll only be gone a week Isobel. I need a break anyway,” he said, grabbing the duffle bag and heading determinedly toward the door.

He heard her start to say something but he hung up before she could finish.

***

Isobel Evans was feeling angry. Michael was often brusk and inconsiderate, but he had never hung up on her like that before. Once she got past the original outrage she realized that this might be a good thing. If Michael hung up it meant that he didn’t want to hear what she had to say. It could mean that he just didn’t care. But Isobel knew Michael. He hung up because he knew that she would be able to convince him if allowed to keep talking.

She was in her car and on the way to Sanders’ in a minute flat and arrived at the airstream just as Michael was loading the final bag into his trunk. He looked like he hadn’t slept. Romantic emergency’s aside, nobody should drive while looking so exhausted, especially the nearly rest-stopless three-hour trek to Albuquerque. When he saw her he headed right for the driver’s side door. Isobel locked it with her mind.  
Michael clicked his key a few times with frustration before he realized that the problem was her. She immediately felt his power’s fighting hers. He had years of practice that came from consistent use, but Isobel had dedicated herself to getting more powerful for months and she had him matched. The door stayed put.  
“Stop it Iz,” Michael growled.  
“No! I’m never going to stop trying to help you!” she yelled and planted herself between Michael and the car. To her surprise he let his shoulders sag and the opposing power’s force was lifted.  
She looked up at him and loosened her mind's grip on the door. “Just sit down Michael. We can make a fire.”

Michael turned away from her. “I don’t want to fight you anymore Iz. But I’ll ask you again to please just let me go.”

“No,” she said simply. Michael sighed and scratched at the back of his neck. Then he slowly shuffled forward and plopped down in a chair, swiping the cowboy hat off his head and squeezing the brim with his fists.  
“Consider me beaten,” he said, and with a clench of her heart, Isobel believed him.

***

Alex Manes was feeling hopeful. He had done it. He told Forrest everything. And it turned out that Forrest was okay with it. He would be leaving just the next day for a job in Albuquerque, that he had neglected to tell Alex he was interviewing for. Maybe Alex should have been angry, but he was just relieved. And he was happy for Forrest. He had never wanted to cause him pain, and they had so much fun together. It would be a shame if things ended with bitterness. He was glad that breaking up was mutual. It seemed like for once in his life he was blessed with good timing. He hoped the luck would continue because as he stood in his doorway and watched Forrest wave from his car, there was only one person he wanted to see.

Alex decided to walk. He wanted to talk to Michael, but he also wanted some time to himself first. Before he lost his leg he always enjoyed long walks. It was painful now to walk for as long as he used to, but Sander’s Auto wasn’t too far. He was about a block along when he started to worry. What if Michael wasn’t there. What if Isobel and Liz had gone to talk to him after all and scared him off. What if they were wrong about Michael being ready. What if Alex said the wrong thing. As he continued to walk on, the problems that Liz had helped him to work through last week came shooting out of the depths of his mind to attack him, and they were relentless. By the time he was passing the Crashdown he was a bit of a nervous wreck. So much for that good timing.  
Breathing hard, he turned off course and headed into the diner. Mercifully, Liz was behind the counter talking to Arturo.

“Alex!” Arturo said when he saw him approach. “Been a while. Is everything alright? You look a bit pale.”

“I’m fine thanks for asking Mr. Ortecho. Um,” he glanced over at Liz. “Can I borrow her for a moment?”

“Si si,” Arturo said. “UFO on a bun? It is about lunchtime.”

At the question, Alex realized he was hungry. “That would be great.”

“Good idea Papi,” Liz said, giving Alex a look of concern. “I think I’ll make two. Pick a booth Alex. I’ll be just a bit.”

Alex thanked her and then turned around to face the diner. The booth that Trip once sat at called to him, but he veered toward the one where he had sat with Isobel and Michael after Crash Con. It seemed more apt somehow. Liz joined him after a few minutes, two plates with steaming burgers balanced expertly on one arm.

“I get three guesses at where you were heading,” she said, setting down the plates and plopping down across from him. “And the first two don’t count.”

Alex opted for taking a bite of the burger instead of responding. It tasted quite good. He already felt better. He, Liz, and Maria used to eat here a lot of days after school. The food always cheered him.

Liz took a bite too and chewed for a while to give him time.

“I broke up with Forrest,” he said after a while. Liz nodded encouragingly. “It went okay. He’s leaving actually if you can believe it.” and all of a sudden his words came back to him. He told Liz all about Forrest’s new job and the odd yet mutual break up.

“I don’t like that he lied to you,” she said. “But I do admit that work can be a strong motivation for bad decisions sometimes. I certainly struggle with that. So what’s the problem then?”

“I don’t know.” Alex groaned. “I wanted to walk to see Michael to clear my head but it had the opposite effect. I’m kind of freaking out a little bit.”

Liz nodded. “Tell you what,” she said. “Lunch rush is nearly done with. I’ll walk with you. I’ll tell you about the conversation I had with Max the other day. It should distract you.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Uh oh.”

Liz barked a laugh. “You don’t know the half of it.”

***

Author’s Note: I wanted to wrap up the little through-line in this series of Liz trying to deal with things with Max but I also didn’t want to have to write the guy. So I’ll just leave it up to your imagination dear reader. Best of luck.

***

Liz Ortecho was feeling excited despite herself. When she and Alex reached Sander’s auto they found Isobel and Michael sitting by a low burning fire. Isobel was talking. Michael was not. Alex stiffened visibly next to Liz, who gave his shoulder a friendly nudge. Isobel looked up mid-sentence and spotted them. She waved and Liz waved back. Neither Alex nor Michael moved an inch. Liz wondered if her and Is being here was making things better or worse. But this was getting ridiculous. The two of them couldn’t handhold these idiots through the entire process. Liz approached the fire, leaving Alex in her dust. 

“Is, Papi hasn’t seen you in a while,” she said, giving Isobel a knowing look. “I’ve tried my best to consult on the newly minted Crashdown Instagram page but we could both use your expertise.”

“Brilliant idea!” Isobel said, getting up.

“Mikey,” Liz said. Michael nodded at her stiffly, she stifled her grin. Just barely. 

Liz waited for Isobel to get her handbag and then the two of them headed off for Isobel’s car. She resisted the urge to look back.

“I believe our work here is done. It’s out of our hands now.” Is said, opening both of the front doors with a tilt of her head.

“Look at you,” Liz said. Isobel grinned.

“I did my best with Michael,” she said, suddenly serious. “How’d you manage to get Alex here?”

“He mostly did it on his own.” Liz laughed as Is put the car in drive. “I just gave a little nudge.”

“Any more nudging and the two of us are going to be brought up on assault charges,” Isobel said. 

“That’s all I need,” Liz said rolling her eyes. The two of them chatted and laughed all the way to the Crashdown. Regardless of how things went down with Alex and Michael, at least one good thing would come out of this.

***

Michael tore his eyes away from his sister’s receding car bumper and over to the man standing awkwardly in the desert before him. Alex looked uncomfortable, to say the least, but he also looked… beautiful. Where did that word come from? Michael thought, feeling himself become slightly panicked. Alex’s hair was windswept and he looked slightly sweaty. Had he and Liz walked here? He was wearing a blue sweater and his leather jacket. Michael suddenly wished he had worn something nicer. He stood up for something to do but he didn’t have a plan beyond that. So that’s how the two of them ended up standing 10 feet apart in the desert, unable to look at each other but also unable to look anywhere else. Michael felt the panic rise.  
Someone had to do something. He was just about to take a step forward when Alex beat him to it.

“Guerin…” he said. “Michael. I want to talk to you about us.”

Michael took a step back. Alex was rarely this forthcoming and open right at go, so his words caught Michael off guard. He immediately regretted the movement though because Alex’s face fell slightly. Michael took two steps forward to compensate. This didn’t seem to help though, because Alex took one step back. Maybe he was overthinking things. Michael groaned slightly and then thought Screw It! After everything that had happened over the last week, one thought finally broke through his fear. Isobel was right. He just had to tell Alex everything. So he did.

***

“I love you, Alex,” Michael said. “I have loved you since we were 17.”

For a moment Alex felt so happy at finally hearing those words that he felt an electric surge rush through him. But the happiness soon became almost unbearable and it was replaced with a strange urge to punch Michael in the face. This conflict resulted in him doing nothing. He stood frozen in the dirt, held there both by an incredible thrill and a terrible dread. He felt like he had stopped breathing but realized he must be after a minute of silence past between them and he didn’t pass out. 

Michael didn’t seem to know what to do next so he started talking again, and then he just kept going. 

Alex stood and listened, he didn’t know what else to do, while Michael talked and talked. About how much that summer after senior year had meant to him. How he always regretted getting arrested on purpose the night Alex left, and how he always wished he had been brave enough to ask him to stay. 

“I scoured any newspaper I could find the first few years you were over-seas Alex, desperate for any kind of news. I had to stop after a while because the worry was driving me mad.” Michael said, taking a step toward Alex. This time he didn’t step back. He didn’t want to. The talking was helping. He hadn’t been the only one lost when they parted ways all those years ago. He had thought of Michael every day that first tour, until the holding on had become too painful. 

“And when I saw you again,” Michael continued, running a hand through his curls. “When I held you again at the reunion, after so long. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as simultaneously better and worse before in my life. It was like the last decade hadn’t happened. Like it didn’t count if you weren’t here.”

Alex caught his breath at that, so similar to what he had told Michael all those months ago.

“I’m sorry about Maria. I’m so sorry about everything. I was such an idiot. When you went missing. With your dad. I just lost control. I was so angry. You should have heard the things I yelled at him Alex. But I just needed to find you. You’re the one person in this world I would risk everything to save.”

At that, the dam broke. Alex didn’t need to hear any more. He strode forward and threw his arms around Michael, burying his face in his neck. Michael stepped back in surprise but quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around Alex, nearly lifting him off the ground.

“You can stop talking now Guerin,” Alex said, pulling back to look at him. “I understand.”

“I… I still had a few months to go,” he said, running a hand up Alex’s back. “The elevator and…”

“It’s okay,” Alex said. “I love you too Michael, and we have plenty of time to figure out the rest.”

At that, a wide grin stretched across Michael’s face, a smile that Alex hadn’t seen in 12 years. The sight filled him with joy and he couldn’t contain himself any longer. He cupped Michael’s face in his hands and kissed him like he hadn’t since he was 17. He thought of that moment in the elevator from last week. That kiss had been amazing, packed with miscommunication and drama as it was, but it couldn’t compare to this one. Standing in the desert that day in Michael Guerin’s arms, Alex Manes was finally home.

***

Michael woke up and glanced around, unsure of where he was at first, but then he remembered. He heard a soft groan from beside him.

“You’re awake,” he said, pushing a strand of hair off Alex’s forehead with a light brush of his fingers. Alex closed his eyes at the sensation and curled into Michael’s side, running a hand across his chest and tangling their legs together.

“You stayed.”

“Of course I did,” Michael said, kissing Alex softly. “I love you.” The flush of Alex’s cheeks at the words made Michael’s heart somersault. 

“I love you too.” Alex smiled, snuggling impossibly closer. “We should probably talk more at some point though.”

“Definitely.” Michael nodded and turned to kiss Alex again, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him on top of him. Alex’s hands had just slid into Michael’s hair when there was a knock on the door of the house.

“Wake up idiots!” rang out Isobel’s voice from the front stoop. “I brought bagels.”

The two of them ignored her. He would have to give her and Liz a big thank you later. But that, like everything else, could wait. He was exactly where he needed to be. Michael Guerin had come home.

**Author's Note:**

> 4 months into a year or more hiatus and I finally finished my season 3 fic! A few more months and I can start on a new one. Anyway I need this show to come back and I'm slowly losing my mind. Feel free to lose your mind with me on tumblr at malex-art!


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